Giants to trade McCutchen to Yankees, report says

By Kerry CrowleyThe Mercury News

Fri., Aug. 31, 2018

The Andrew McCutchen era lasted nine seasons in Pittsburgh, but the McCutchen era in San Francisco failed to make it to nine months.

The Giants have a deal in place to send their starting right fielder to the New York Yankees in a waiver wire trade, according to a report by ESPN’s Buster Olney. It is not known what the Giants will receive in return, although it’s safe to assume it will be prospects.

In this Aug. 18, file photo, San Francisco Giants' Andrew McCutchen, centre, is congratulated in the dugout after scoring during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, in Cincinnati.The playoff-contending New York Yankees are close to completing a trade for San Francisco Giants outfielder Andrew McCutchen. A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Aug. 30, the Yankees would send infielder Abiatal Avelino and another minor leaguer to San Francisco for McCutchen. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal wasn't finalized. (Gary Landers / The Associated Press)

McCutchen, 31, was the Giants leader in home runs and RBIs and consistently hit in the leadoff spot for a club that never made the playoff push front offices executives envisioned when they acquired him in an offseason trade. San Francisco sent pitcher Kyle Crick, minor league outfielder Bryan Reynolds and cash.

Following the trade of McCutchen and the loss of rookie Steven Duggar to a season-ending shoulder injury, the Giants are short-handed in the outfield. The trade clears the way for San Francisco to promote top hitting prospect Chris Shaw to the major league roster.

The Giants placed McCutchen on revocable waivers Aug. 20, but he went unclaimed, allowing San Francisco to negotiate a trade with any team through Aug. 31.

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By moving McCutchen, the Giants saved roughly $2 million and will remain clear of the $197 million (U.S.) competitive balance tax threshold.

The veteran outfielder said last week he wasn’t concerned about a potential waiver wire transaction as he called his offseason trade from the Pirates to the Giants the most difficult move he would endure in his career.

The Giants will likely allow rookie Austin Slater an opportunity to play every day in the outfield in September and could do the same if they elect to promote Shaw.

A trade involving McCutchen also allows the franchise to reward pending free agent Hunter Pence with starts during what is expected to be his final month in a Giants uniform.